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South Lakeland District Council pledges cash for affordable homes

A PROGRAMME of affordable house building –– backed by £300,000 from council coffers – has been announced.

Members of South Lakeland District Council’s cabinet have agreed to give ‘in principle’ financial support for 43 new affordable homes.

Fourteen houses are proposed at Burland Grove, Kendal; 14 at Briery Bank, Arnside and five on land off Collingwood Close, Coniston.

Grants will be funded through a combination of the government's Homes and Com-munities Agency, the housing associations involved, the New Homes Bonus Reserve and the council’s Second Homes Fund.

The council has benefited by more than £1.5 million from thousands of second home owners – with cash now diverted towards helping it finance affordable housing schemes.

However, the sites must win planning consent before construction can start.

Cabinet also approved in principle the allocation of £502,186 to South Lakes Housing, which is the main provider of affordable rented housing and owns 3,155 former SLDC council homes.

The money is for a development at Binfold Croft, Kirkby Lonsdale, which will provide 10 new homes.

SLDC said the half-a-million pounds had been obtained from the developer of the nearby Tram Lane housing project as one of the planning conditions. South Lakes Housing, based in Kendal, will also contribute up to £1.2 million. Cabinet also agreed to ‘freeze’ the council’s affordable house prices rate.

It means two bedroom homes will remain priced at £95,000, a three bedroom home will be £110,000 and four bedrooms at £125,000.

Flat prices will also remain the same and an extra price category has been created for one-bedroom homes and bungalows – with the value set at £85,000.